


as we travel through snow, together we go

by humancorn



Series: IronHawkShield [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Ashes Scene in Avengers: Infinity War Part 1, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, CLINT BARTON FOUGHT IN THE INFINITY WAR PEOPLE WAKE UP, Character Death, I'm so dead inside, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Multi, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), i told myself i wouldn't write a fic like this, vague but large changes to the plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 17:34:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14919842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humancorn/pseuds/humancorn
Summary: How does Tony deal with one of his partners dying?What do you really expect?Infinity War Mentions





	as we travel through snow, together we go

“Clint?” Tony’s voice was breaking, ever-so-slightly. Clint could place the emotion but couldn’t quite understand what was going on.

“Yeah, Tony?” Clint asked, reaching a hand out to cup his cheek, to comfort him. It had been a long few weeks without each other and he missed him—missed _them_.

“Where’s Steve?” He asked, confused. Tony looked over at the door, seemingly refusing to meet Clint’s eye. “Tony?” The archer asked again. He was starting to worry.

“Clint.” Tony took a step toward him, eyes sad, frustrated. He looked tired, and his hands were trembling more than usual. He reached up, his eyes meeting Clint’s for the first time in a while. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” Clint was beginning to get frustrated as well, as Tony’s hand stopped halfway in between the, still, as if he was afraid to touch him. Clint moved for him, almost amused that Tony would still be hesitant to initiate contact after all of this time. His hand reached up to catch Tony’s and it moved right through, unfazed by Tony’s flesh. Clint blinked for a few moments, coming to terms with this sudden realization. “Oh.” He said, smile dropping. “Oh.” He said again. Tony’s eyes filled with tears.

  
I’m so sorry, Clint.” Tony fell to his knees, shoulders shaking and breathing erratically.

“Am I…” Clint cut himself off. He was either dead, in a coma, or presumed dead but still missing. Tony did not seem to have aged since he last saw him—since, he supposed, the actual Clint last saw him. Tony started crying, letting out cracking, wet sobs every few seconds.

“When Thanos….when Thanos **_murdered_** half of the universe you were one of them. You were in my arms and you just…you just faded away. Just **_dust_** and **_dirt_** and….blood. So _much_ blood.” Tony’s voice was raw, it was obvious now that he’d been crying before, that he’d been crying for a long time.

Clint moved toward him, his eyes never leaving Tony’s.

“So you worked on making a holo-replica of me?” Clint asked, “And Steve?”

“Steve’s out there actually trying to get you back. I don’t know why I….I just….I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. All I could see was the blood— _your_ blood. I could still feel you clutching onto my hand! I just…. _ **I**_ couldn’t.” Tony looked at his hands, “I’m so _sorry_ , Clint.” He paused, opening and closing his hands, watching, “I love you.”

Clint frowned and looked at his own hands. Even though he was just…well, a collection of the real Clint’s interactions with Tony and Jarvis and Friday, he knew what Tony needed.

“I love you, Tony. It’s not your fault. I love you….and it’s not your fault.” Holo-Clint said, closing the distance between them and holding Tony in his arms as best he could. Tony sobbed through him, reaching out to touch his cheek but thinking better of it.

There was a knock at the door and Tony waved his hand to open it, revealing a slightly disheveled Steve, who promptly dropped the flowers he was holding when he saw them.

“Clint.” Steve said, moving towards them before Tony let out a choked sob and hit the button to dissipate the hologram. Holo-Clint faded, once again, his hands still on Tony’s face, with a final, “I love you.” Steve knelt down, scooping Tony up in his arms and carrying him to their bed.

“I miss him too, Tony.” He said as he climbed into the bed next to him. The bed was far too large without Clint in it. Steve curled around Tony, comforting him as he his tears dried up and he fell asleep. Steve laid awake for most of the night, his mind on the haunting hologram of Clint’s face, the perfect reenactment of his voice. He finally fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning, breathing in the scent of Tony’s shampoo and reminding him that Tony was real, he was here, they were both here. And they were going to get him back.

When Steve woke a few hours later, Tony wasn’t beside him. Steve sighed, what did he expect? Of course this wouldn’t magically fix all of their problems. He made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen, almost freezing when he heard the sounds of feet shuffling on the tile floor.

“Tony?” He called, no answer. He rounded the corner, almost expecting to find one of Thanos’ goons bent over Tony’s lifeless body—but instead he found Tony, popping toast into the toaster, earbuds in his ears, dancing and cooking breakfast.

“Steve smiled, tears threatening to form in his eyes. He wrapped himself around Tony and kissed his cheek, lifting him off the ground. Tony smiled.

“Good morning there, Cap.” He laughs, deep in his chest. Steve had missed that.

“Morning, sunshine.” Steve smiled and kissed him, hard. They broke apart and Tony laid his forehead on Steve’s.

“I missed you,” Tony said.

“I missed you too,” Steve said, grinning wider.


End file.
